Generally, a wind-power generation system refers to a system for generating electric energy by converting dynamic energy into mechanical energy through rotation of blades using aerodynamic characteristics of dynamic energy of air flow, and driving a generator with the mechanical energy.
Such a wind power generation system is classified into a horizontal type and a vertical type according to a direction of a rotational axis with respect to the ground, and includes a rotor composed of blades and a hub, a generator for producing electricity, a gear box for driving the generator through increase of rotational speed, a cooling/heating system for suitably regulating operation temperature of each component, and a power control system for controlling output power.
Particularly, a horizontal axis wind-power generator turbine, which includes three blades arranged at intervals of 120° with respect to each other and rotated about a rotational axis disposed in a horizontal direction with respect to the ground, is generally used in the art.
Since fracture of the blades results in a long period of shutdown and high replacement costs and, particularly, marine wind power generation causes frequent contamination of the blades due to salinity or dust, the blades need to be monitored in real time.
Thus, although the blades are provided with sensors for monitoring the blades, it is necessary to process signals generated proportional to the number of blades in order to determine the states of the blades based on the signals sent from the sensors. That is, for the horizontal-axis wind power generator turbine including three blades, it is necessary to process three signals obtained from the three blades.
One example of the related art is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2011-0110735A (Publication date: 2011.10.07, entitled “Apparatus for monitoring wind-power generator”).